Body assist for toilet seat



Aug. 7, 1962 .1. L. GRONDONA BODY ASSIST FOR TOILET SEAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 24, 1959 A MSWI/S JNVENTOR. John L. Grondona Attorney United States Patent O 3,047,884 BODY ASSIST FOR TOILET SEAT John L. Grondona, 11076 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito, Calif. Filed Nov. 24, 1959, Ser. N0. 855,147 2 Claims. (Cl. 4-254) The invention relates to appliances such as bars and the like used in conjunction with a soilet for aiding persons who, due to illness, injury, loss of limbs or other iniirmity desire or require `assistance in lowering their body Ereight on to a toilet seat and in raising themselves thererom.

An object of the present invention is to provide a body assist of the character described which is light in weight and portable in nature so as to permit its movement from place to place as required, and which will provide improved rigidity when set up on connection `with a toilet, and will afford a convenient and full range of required adjustment to accommodate the device to toilets of dilferent sizes.

Another object ot the present invention is to provide a body assist of the character above which has an improved form in aiding and guiding the user in moving to and from the toilet seat.

kThe invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which of the foregoing will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood however, that variations in the showing made by the said drawing description may be adopted the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

`Referring to said drawings .(2 sheets) FIGURE l is a perspective of a body `assist for a toilet seat constructed in accordance with the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation of the body assist with a typical toilet and iloor and wall arrangement shown in conjunction therewith.

FIGURE 3 is a cutaway fragmentary sectional view showing one of the position adjusting means.

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, but showing an adjusting means in another position.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical cross-sectional view of a rear section of the device taken substantially on the plane of line 5 5 of FIG-URE l.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on the plane of line 6 6 of lFIGURE 5.

The body assist of the presen-t invention is :adapted for use with a typical toilet having a bowl 11, see FIGURE 2, surmounted by a seat 12 which has a connection 13 to the upper side 14 of the bowl, the body assist here utilizing this same connection for anchoring in place. As here shown, the body assist consists briefly of fa pair of vertical side frames 16 and 17 adapted for resting upon the floor 18 on opposite sides of the toilet bowl 11 `and which are provided with elevated hand grips 21 and 22 to aid the user in moving to and from the toilet seat 12; and a transversely extending inter-connecting frame member 23 which is secured to and affords lateral support for the side frames 16 and 17, and extends between the frames adjacent the elevation `of and in superimposed relation to the upper bowl `side 14, and is secured to and anchored by the seat connection 113. More particularly, the transverse member 23 is tormed with openings 26 and 27 which are `spaced for receiving therethrough the conventional studs providing connection 13 between the seat 12 and bowl 11, the member 23 preferably being relatively ilat so as to not materially affect the elevation of the seat 12.

In providing an improved form for aiding and guiding the user in moving to and from the toilet seat, the side v Patented Aug. 7, 1962 frames are here Iformed with top hand engaging bars which provide the hand grips 2,1 and 22 above noted, and which are formed with relatively elevated forward portions 31 and 3-2 and relatively lower rearward portions 33 and 34 over the length of which the hands of theuser may slide while embracing the hars, -with the user being afforded a grip at any point along the length of the bars so as to not only guide the user in moving to `and from the seat, but also to lafford necessary arm power in lowering and elevating the body. The continuous fore and att extension of these top rails 21 and 22 `and their different fore and aft elevations as described, materially assist the user in getting the most advantage of lthe device. To further improve the rigidity of the device when assembled in place `on a toilet, the side frames 16 and 17 are provided with rearwardly extending arms 36 and 37 for engaging in abutting relation to a rear wall 38 conventionally located lbehind the toilet. 'Ihe arms 36 and 37 are preferably formed of tubular stock and their abutment against the rear wall 38 is desirably `affected by -abutment members 41 and 42 which may be threaded into the rearward ends of arms 36 and 37 to aiford required fore and aft adjustment.

A back rest 43 is preferably provided for the support and comfort of the user and is here shown with transverse mounting means 44 therefor connected to the side frames 1'6 and 17. As a further feature of .the present invention, a -full range of transverse adjustment is provided for accommodating the device to toilets of different width. As here shown, this transverse adjustment is accomplished by composing the transverse `frame member 23 and the transverse mounting means 44 of a plurality of slidably attached sections permitting the desired transverse adjustment of the spacing between the side frames 16 and 17. The transverse frame member 23 is assembled from an L-shaped section 46 providing the stud openings 26 and 27 in its bottom flange 47 and having the outer edge portions 48 and 49 formed of channel-shape so as to slidably receive therein the perpendicularly related flanges of angle members 51 and 52 secured, as by welding, to the side frames 16 and 17 `and projecting horizontally perpendicularly therefrom. A plurality of transversely spaced and alignable openings 53 in the members 51 and 52 may be threaded by Ibolts 54, see FIGURE 6, for securing the slidable sections in iixed transverse adjustment.

Mounting means 44 here consists of a tubular mem-ber 56 attached to the rear side of back rest 43 rand which telescopically receives tubular studs 57 and 58 which are welded or otherwise secured to vertical posts 61 and 62 which form part of side frames 16 and 17 An elongated bolt 59 is here mounted through each of the upright posts 61 and 62 and through the length of the studs 57 and 58 and are attached at their inner ends to expansion members 63, see FIGURES 3 and 4. The latter may consist of rubber plugs which are mounted at the inner ends of the stud 57 and 58 and which are compressed by nuts 64 threaded onto the ends 66 of the bolts 59 so that upon turning of .the heads 67 of the bolts, the plugs 63 may be expanded into tight fitting engagement with the inner wall of tube 56 to anchor the parts against lateral displacement.

The side frames 16 and 17 are preferably constructed in their entirety from sections of tubular stock. One length of tubing is here bent to provide 'a continuous forward vertical post 71 and 72 and top hand rail 21 and 22. Another length of Itubing is bent to provide the rear posts 61 and 62 and integrally connected rearwardly extending arms 36 and 37. A third length 73 and 74 connects a front and rear post 71-61 and 72-62. The angle members 51 and 52 may be conveniently set at the intersections of horizontal bars 73 and 74 and the rear vertical posts 3 61 and 62. Glides 76 with integral elongated shanks are preferably threaded into the lower ends or the four Vertical posts 61, 62, 71 and 72 for obtaining necessary vertical adjustment to accomodate the device to toilets having different vertical dimensions particularly of the top surface 14 of the toilet ibowl. vThe side fnames and interconnecting frame members are preferably formed of nigid metal suitably tinished -for hospital use such as stainless `steel or chrome nished steel. The bottom glides 76 and rear abutment members 41 and 42 may be finished of a softer material lsruch las Aone of the tougher and more durable plastics to prevent scratching of the oors and walls in the toilet compartment.

Iclaim:

1. A body assist for a toilet having a bowl and seat mounted thereon by a `stud comprising, a pair of vertical side iframes adapted for resting on the door on opposite sides of said bowl and having top fore and aft extending hand engaging bars relatively elevated forwardly and lower rearwardly of said side frames and being dimensioned -or sliding embrace by the hands of .the user for aiding and guiding the user in moving to and from said seat, said side frames having rearwardly extending arms for abutting a wall behind said seat, a transversely extending inter-conneoting frame member secured to said side frames and having an opening for receiving thereythrough said stu-d for anchoring said frame menrbei in place, and a back rest and transverse mounting means therefor connected rto said side frames, said transverse frame member and said mounting means being composed of a plurality `or slidably yattached sections permitting transverse I'adjustment of ithe spacing between said `side frames.

2. A body assist for la roilet having -a bowl and seat mounted thereon by a stud comprising, -a pair of vertical side rames adapted for rest-ing on the floor on opposite sides of said bowl and providing elevated -hand grips to aid `the 'user in moving to and from said seat, a plurality of transversely inter-connecing iframe members composed of a plurality of slidably attached sections permitting transverse adjustment of the spacing between said side frames and secured to 'and aiording lateral support for said side frames, one of said frame members having an opening for receiving therethrough said stud for anchoring said frame member in place, and said side frames having top hand engaging bars which are relatively elevated forwardly and are each formed with :a downward and rearward sloping medial portion and a relatively Vlow horizontal rear- Ward portion and over the length of which the hands of fthe user may slide and grip in 'aiding and guiding the user in moving to and from `said seat.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,019,005 Brickson'nV Oct. 29, 1935 2,074,596 Short Mar. 23, 1937 2,113,882 Galt Apr. 12, 1938 2,481,382 Bennett Sept. 6, 1949 2,773,542 Chasin Dec. 11, 1956 2,903,714 Grondona Sept. 15, 1959 

